Tubular reactor for production of carbon black from acetylene by detonation explosion

ABSTRACT

The housing of the tubular reactor is in the form of a closed loop with smoothly curving portions conjugated with a rectilinear portion. The housing is associated with an acetylene introduction connection, an inert gas admission connection, e.g., a nitrogen admission connection, and a carbon black delivery connection. The igniter device is positioned adjacent to one of the ends of the rectilinear portion, the rectilinear portion and the inert gas admission connection being disposed to the opposite sides of the ingiter device. The rectilinear portion is intended for stabilization of the detonation wave.

United States Patent n91 Tesner et al.

[ Nov. 19, 1974 TUBULAR REACTOR FOR PRODUCTION OF CARBON BLACK FROM ACETYLENE BY DETONATION EXPLOSION [76] Inventors: Pavel Alexandrovich Tesner, ulitsa Chapalygina, 2, kv. 3; Vadim Georgievich Knorre, ulitsa Dmitria Ulyanova, 4, korpus l, kv. 27; Vladimir Fedorovich Podkopaev, Proletarsky prospekt, 58, kv. 35, all of Moscow; Tamara Timofeevna Pakhtusova, Leninsky raion, poselok Razvilka, 8, kv. 8, Moskovskaya; Vsevolod Viktorovich Baaenkevich, Khlebozavodsky proezd, 5, korpus 2, kv. 382, Moscow; Arkady Petrovich Astakhov, Leningradskaya ulitsa, 8a, kv. 44, Podolak, all of USSR.

22 Filed: -.lulyl7, 1972 211 Appl. No; 272,666

52 U.S.Cl ..23/2s9.5,423/451,23/252 R, 23/284, 431/352 51 lnt.Cl con) 49/00, C090 1/49 [58] Field of Search 23/259.5, 252 R, 284, 260, 23/277 R; 423/415, 451; 260/449, 679 R;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,690,960 10/1954 Kistiakowsky et al. 423/451 2,745,861 5/1956 Bodine, Jr 260/449 R Primary Examiner-James H. Tayman, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmWaters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen 5 7 ABSTRACT The housing of the tubular reactor is in the form of a closed loop with smoothly curving portions conjugated with a rectilinear portion. The housing is associated with an acetylene introduction connection, an inert gas admission connection, e.g., a nitrogen admission connection, and a carbon black delivery connection. The igniter device is positioned adjacent to one of the ends of the rectilinear portion, the rectilinear portion and the inert gas admission connection being disposed to the opposite sides of the ingiter device.

The rectilinear portion is intended for stabilization of the detonation wave.

2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure I i l I I I g TUBULAR REACTOR FOR PRODUCTION OF CARBON BLACK FROM ACETYLENE BY DETONATION EXPLOSION The invention relates to a chemical engineering, and, more particularly, it relates to a tubular reactor for production of carbon black from acetylene by detonation explosion.

The present invention can be used to utmost advantage to satisfy the need of electrical engineering in high-quality carbon black.

In the course of a detonation explosion of acetylene, which brings about propagation of a detonation wave, the acetylene is heated up at the moving front of the wave on account of impact compression.

As a result of this heating up, downstream of the front of the detonation wave there develops a reaction of decomposition of the acetylene, which yields a great amount of thermal energy. This energy is consumed by maintaining the detonation wave.

There is already known a tubular reactor for production of carbon black by detonation explosion. (See the U.S. Pat. No. 2,690,960, Class 23 209.7).

The housing of this known tubular reactor has a rectilinear cylindrical internal passage and is associated with an acetylene introduction connection and an igniter device for initiating the reaction of selfdecomposition of the acetylene introduced. Besides, the housing of this tubular reactor is associated with a connection for admission of an inert gas that forms a separating cushion, and with a carbon black delivery outlet.

However, when a detonation explosion of acetylene is carried out in this known tubular reactor, there takes place direct reflection of the detonation wave from the face wall of the reactor. The pressure within the detonation wave itself is 25 to 30 times greater than the initial pressure of the acetylene within the reactor. The pressure downstream of the detonation wave is several times greater than that within the detonation waves, i.e., there are developed in the reactor the values ofthe internal pressure that are several hundred times higher than the initial pressure of the acetylene in the reactor, which brings about the necessity of having the reactor walls of a great thickness. The reactor becomes heavy and difficult in manufacture.

The necessary wall thickness is brought down by reducing the initial pressure of acetylene. However, this is undesirable, as far as the yield of the reactor is concerned; namely, the yield of the reactor is reduced proportionally to the reduction of the initial pressure of acetylene. Increasing the yield of such a reactor by increasing its length proves to be unprofitable, since it involves the use of additional production floor space.

It is an object of the present invention to increase the productivity of a reactor of the abovespecified kind.

In accordance with this and other objects, the esposed adjacent to one of the ends of said rectilinear portion, said rectilinear portion and said inert gas admission connection being disposed to the opposite sides of said igniter device.

In the reactor constructed in accordance with the invention no direct reflection of the detonation wave takes place (this direct reflection, as it has been explained, brings about the development of a pressure which is several hundred times greater than the initial pressure of the acetylene); there is only partial reflection, whereby the reactor may have a reduced wall thickness, as compared with the known one. Consequently, the reactor has a relatively moderate weight and is easy to manufacture, since it can be built up from serially produced tubing. Furthermore, there being no direct reflection of the detonation wave, it is possible to increase the initial pressure of the acetylene in the reactor, which steps up the yield of the reactor. Besides, the yield of the reactor can be stepped up by increasing the length thereof, but this does not involve the necessity of using up additional floor space.

It is advisable that the rectilinear portion should have the length sufficient for stabilization of the detonation wave, because reflection of an unstabilized detonation wave bring about a sharper increase of the pressure than reflection of a stabilized detonation wave.

It is further advisable that the inert gas admission connection should be spaced from the igniter device by a distance which is four to five times greater than the internal diameter of the reactor.

With an inert gas admission connection being arranged at a smaller spacing from the igniter device, the inert gas exerts a phlegmatizing influence on the reaction of self-decomposition of acetylene, in which way the reliability of the igniting of the acetylene might be affected.

A great spacing of the inert gas admission connection from the igniter device is unprofitable, since decomposition of the acetylene in the area intermediate of the igniter device and the separating cushion yields carbon black of a poor quality. Moreover, when the igniter device is greatly spaced from the inert gas admission connection, there might take place the creation of a detonation wave in the area between the igniter device and the separating cushion, this wave meeting the wave propagating in the opposite direction from the igniter sence of the present invention resides in the creation of a tubular reactor for production of carbon black from acetylene by a detonation explosion, the housing of the reactor is associated with an acetylene introduction connection, an igniter device for igniting the acetylene, an inert gas admission connection and a carbon black outlet connection, in which reactor, in accordance with the invention, said housing is made in the form of a closed loop with smoothly curving portions conjugated with a rectilinear portion, said igniter device being disdevice. The meeting of the two waves brings about a sharp increase of the internal pressure, which results in an eventual breakdown of the reactor.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, with reference being had to the accompanying drawing illustrating schematically a tubular reactor constructed in accordance with the present invention, a partly broken away view.

Referring now in particular to the appended drawing, the housing 1 of the tubular reactor for producing carbon black from acetylene by detonation explosion is in the form of a closed loop with smoothly curving portions and a rectilinear portion 2. The rectilinear portion 2 is conjugated with the smoothly curving portions. The length of the rectilinear portion 2 is selected to be sufficient for stabilization of the detonation wave. The housing I incorporates an acetylene admission connection 3 and a fuse, or igniter device 4 of any appropriate known structure, e.g., a resistor, for initiating the reaction of self-decomposition of acetylene, the igniter device being situated adjacent to one of the ends of the rectilinear portion 2.

To intensify the initiation of the reaction of selfdecomposition of acetylene, oxygen can be introduced through the igniter device 4.

The housing 1 is further provided with a connection for introduction of an inert gas, e.g., of nitrogen, and a carbon black outlet connection 6.

The rectilinear portion 2 and the nitrogen introduction connection 5 are positioned to different sides from the igniter device 4.

The nitrogen introduction connection 5 is spaced from the igniter device 4 by a distance which is four to five times the internal diameter of the tubular reactor.

The connection 5 is intended for introduction of nitrogen which serves as a separation cushion preventing simultaneous formation of two detonation waves propagating in the opposite directions from the igniter device 4.

The herein disclosed tubular reactor operates, as follows.

The tubular reactor is filled with acetylene to a predetermined pressure through the connection 3.

After the reactor has been thus filled with acetylene, nitrogen is introduced through the connection 5. lmmediately following the introduction of the nitrogen, electric current is fed through the igniter device 4. A detonation explosion of the acetylene takes place, the

detonation wave propagating exclusively in one direction from the igniter device 4, since the formation of a detonation wave that might propagate in the opposite direction is prevented by the nitrogen, at the border of which the reaction of self-decomposition of acetylene soothes down. As a result of the detonation explosion of the acetylene high-quality carbon black is formed. The latter is delivered from the herein disclosed reactor through the outlet connection 6.

What we claim is:

l. A tubular reactor for the production of carbon black from acetylene by detonation explosion, comprising: a reaction chamber housing formed of a closed loop having smoothly curving portions conjugated with a straight-linear portion adapted for stabilization of a detonation wave caused by the explosion, the reaction chamber being of an essentially constant-diameter tubular configuration; an acetylene inlet connection on said housing communicating with said chamber; an inert gas inlet connection on said housing communicating with said chamber; igniter means for igniting acetylene fed into said chamber, said igniter means communicating with said chamber adjacent one of the ends of said straight-linear loop portion, said straight-linear portion and said inert gas inlet connection being disposed on, respectively, either side of said igniter means; and a carbon black outlet connection being mounted on the housing in communication with said chamber.

2. A tubular reactor as claimed in claim 1, said inert gas inlet connection being spaced from said igniter means at a distance which is between four to five times larger than the internal cross-sectional diameter of said reactor chamber. 

1. A TUBULAR REACTOR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CARBON BLACK FROM ACETYLENE BY DETONATION EXPLOSIION, COMPRISING: A REACTION CHAMBER HOUSING FORMED OF A CLOSED LOOP HAVING SMOOTHLY CURVING PORTIONS CONJUGATED WITH A STRAIGHT-LINEAR PORTION ADAPTED FOR STABILIZATION OF A DETONATION WAVE CAUSE BY THE EXPLOSION, THE REACTION CHAMBER BEING OF AN ESSENTIALLY CONSTAN-DIAMETER TUBULAR CONFIGURATION; AN ACETYLENE INLET CONNECTION ON SAID HOUSING COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER; AN INERT GAS INLET CONNECTION ON SAID HOUSING COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER; IGNITER MEANS FOR IGNITING ACETYLENE FED INTO SAID CHAMBER, SAID IGNITER MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER ADJACENT ONE OF THE ENDS OF SAID STRAIGHT-LINEAR LOOP PORTION, SAID STRAIGHT-LINEAR PORTION AND SAID INERT GAS INLET CONNECTION BEING DISPOSED ON, RESPECTIVELY, EITHER SIDE OF SAID IGNITER MEANS; AND A CARBON BLACK OUTLET CONNECTION BEING MOUNTED ON THE HOUSING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHAMBER.
 2. A tubular reactor as claimed in claim 1, said inert gas inlet connection being spaced from said igniter means at a distance which is between four to five times larger than the internal cross-sectional diameter of said reactor chamber. 